Manager, Customer Access Studies

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is responsible for the safe, reliable, and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System. We provide open and non-discriminatory access to Alberta’s interconnected power grid and also facilitate Alberta’s competitive wholesale electricity market. The AESO strives to foster an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace where people feel respected and welcomed for who they are, together we deliver high performance and innovative results.

Job Description

If you are a current AESO employee or contractor, please view openings and apply through our internal site at Workday.

AESO is the sole provider of system access service on the Alberta transmission system. The AESO Customer Grid Access team is responsible for fulfilling this part of the AESO’s mandate. The Customer Access Study (CAS) team is responsible for performing and reviewing project interconnection engineering studies and working with other departments to deliver customer projects in accordance with AESO’s Connection Process. The CAS team works with Project Managers who are accountable for project decision-making and delivery. The AESO has been using a cluster assessment process since September 2023, where customer projects are processed in batches and studied in the form of a Cluster Study.

As a result of the CAS team expanding significantly, an exciting opportunity for another Manager position has become available to join the group. Reporting to the Director, Customer Access and Project Engineering, you will work alongside your counterpart to jointly share leadership accountabilities for the timely, efficient, and reliable delivery of all customer access study work products. Both Managers will co-lead a team of Engineers who will have accountability for customer access studies and engineering assessments for all types of projects within the province of Alberta. You will shape and influence the CAS team members by providing required training, mentoring, and feedback to discuss improvements.

In this position, you will also work cross-functionally with other business units in the AESO, including forecasting, system planning, system operations, engineering, regulatory, legal, and tariff for consultation in support of technical decision-making. You will also be externally facing, working closely with Transmission Facility Owners, Distribution Facility Owners, generator developers, large load transmission-connected customers, and consultants on behalf of the Project Manager and in support of delivering assigned projects.
This full-time opportunity offers a competitive salary, and a variable pay program. We also have paid vacation and flex time, health and dental benefits, mental health support, a defined contribution pension plan, and learning and development opportunities as part of your overall compensation package. We support a hybrid work environment, where the team is in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays are flexible for where you work best.

You will enjoy working with us if:

• You value flexibility. We support work life balance with a flexible work approach, recognizing that some weeks may require more onsite presence during key business or operations events.

• You enjoy working with bright, engaged professionals and appreciate learning in a diverse, inclusive environment with teammates who bring a range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

• You thrive in a dynamic, evolving environment and are energized by opportunities to lead and contribute to transformative change.

• You love collaborating with great people, partnering with engineering, operations, market teams, and project groups who value teamwork, shared problem solving, and open communication.

• You’re motivated by continuous improvement, with opportunities to modernize tools, streamline processes, and help shape how we work every day.

Accountabilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide market participants with a reasonable opportunity to obtain system access service.

• Support AESO initiatives and cross functional goals and deliver customer projects. This includes working with Program Managers to plan and allocate staff to meet cluster and large loads project needs and priorities appropriately.

• Make technical decisions and own CAS functional business practices and quality control procedures.

• Provide risk-based opinions or decisions considering factors such as engineering analysis, the AESO’s legal/regulatory framework, economics (costs/benefits), customers, project management, and public interest.

• Review high-risk projects, guide and support CAS Engineers in evaluating the effectiveness of engineering solutions and provide risk-based guidance.

• Lead a team of engineers and ensure that engineering studies for all projects are completed on schedule.

• Ensure due diligence on internal practices and processes; authenticate Engineering Connection Assessments and Connection Proposals.

• Provide support to AESO Legal team in response to AUC regulatory proceedings, including responses for Information Requests, reviewing, and providing expert advice to proceeding exhibits and representing the AESO in regulatory proceedings.

• Provide expert opinion on external forums, internally to AESO senior leadership and decision makers, and to external stakeholders.

• Collaborate with AESO System Planning and Forecasting & Analytics in the development of the AESO’s LTO, LTP and AESO system NIDs.

• Prepare information for and participate in stakeholder meetings.

• Maintain effective lines of communication with Market Participants to resolve technical issues.

• Expert knowledge and understanding of power system behaviors (e.g. constraints/bottlenecks), LTP, and regional operational plans within their region of accountability.

• Participate in industry organization committees (e.g., WECC and IEEE).

What you’ll bring to us:

• B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and registered or eligible for registration with APEGA (P.Eng.).

• MSc. or Ph.D. in Electrical Power systems will be considered an asset.

• The following experience and demonstrated understanding will be a benefit for this role:

  • 10+ years of technical engineering experience in the power system industry.

  • 3-5+ years of prior experience leading and developing teams of technical/engineering staff.

  • Exceptional understanding of engineering study results from PSS/e and PSCAD engineering tools.

  • Broad understanding of power generation and load technologies and their operations for combined cycle power plant, Peaker units, hydro units, cogeneration power plants, Wind, Solar, Hybrid, Energy Storage, Data Centers, and co-located technologies.

  • Broad understanding of transmission equipment, protection and control, generation, emerging technologies, power systems models, power system analysis including power flow, short circuit, voltage stability and power system transients and dynamics, telecommunications, and SCADA,

  • AESO tariff and legal regulatory framework.

  • Transmission system operations, transmission facility and line design, engineering functional specifications, and Remedial Action Schemes.

  • Electromagnetic transient analysis.

  • Distribution and substation planning and design.

Application deadline: April 7, 2026

#LI-Hybrid

If you are contacted for a pre-screening and/or interview, please advise of any accommodation measures required to enable you to fully participate. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

The Alberta Electric System Operator is unable to accept unsolicited agency resumes.

The Alberta Electric System Operator, and its members, officers, employees and agents (collectively, the "AESO") is committed to protecting personal information provided to it. When you submit your personal information to the AESO for the purpose of pursuing employment with the AESO, the collection, use and disclosure of personal information is in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) of Alberta.

As noted, the AESO is mandated to maintain the safe and reliable operations of the provincial power grid. As part of meeting its obligations, the AESO may require the successful candidate to undergo a criminal background check for the position. This collection of personal information for the purposes of a check will be conducted in accordance with Section 4 of POPA.